


we make our own luck, and i'm about to prove that

by NepetaLeijon27



Series: falling is like flying [A3 Madoka AU] [1]
Category: A3! (Video Game), Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Alternate Universe - Madoka Magica Fusion, Alternate Universe - Magical Girls, Angst, Crossover, Gen, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21905374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NepetaLeijon27/pseuds/NepetaLeijon27
Summary: Until that day, you were just a normal student at Ouka High wanting to be noticed.And now, you think that it should have stayed just at that.(Title is more or less placeholder)
Series: falling is like flying [A3 Madoka AU] [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676620
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. It Won't Even Take Five Minutes

'Great! See you tomorrow, Tenma!' 

You wave Tenma goodbye as he steps into the expensive limousine. He doesn't say anything back, but you know he wishes you the same. _Man,_ you wonder, _what if I was just as famous as him_? Your hands go over the expensive letter opener Tenma gave you for your birthday. It is beautifully decorated, and you think it is a dagger on itself. Then, you put it in your backpack. 

'Let's get home...'

But before you can even set a foot outside of Ouka High's school ground, another thought enters your mind. _I bet he's around here somewhere_. 'Our delinquent Juza's so cool...', you think. 'This could be my chance to talk to him! Ask him how to be strong, just like him!' You already know he often hangs around alone, doing god knows what. And before you are aware of it yourself, you run back towards the school and go looking for him.

Finding him proves to be surprisingly easy. He is at the parking lot behind the school, and he is alone - just as you thought. Not wanting to provoke him, you don't run towards him, but walk calmly. 

'Hey, Juza! Recognize me? I'm Taichi Nanao, and I just wanted to ask you a few things!' 

Juza looks up, but you can't quite read his expression. Then, a very small growl: '...leave me alone. Please.'

'Aww.', you sigh. 'It won't even take five minutes! Promise!' 

'This is already taking longer than I want.', Juza looks away from you, staring at the ground instead. 'Now, get out.'

You take a step back, but do not leave yet. 'Huh...' At that moment, a third person arrives at the parking lot. 

'...Settsu.' Juza immediately notices it, and also seems to know who it is. You hadn't recognized them at first, but you see that they are wearing the Hanasaki uniform. 

Juza's expression immediately contorts into anger. 'Let's settle this, here and now.'

'We've got an onlooker.' The person who Juza calls 'Settsu' points at you, and you feel your heartbeat accelerating. Afraid they may do you something - you weren't the best in reading the air, but you know this much - you run away. _Damn it. Will have to approach him tomorrow_.

'Let's get home now...I bet I'm late already...' You exit the schoolyard and walk the familiar road home. 

Most of the walk goes by uneventfully. You start to think about tomorrow already, and don't quite know how you will talk to Juza tomorrow. It will be a lot harder, that is something you know.

 _Why are you trying so hard_?

'Huh...' You suddenly hear a voice in your mind. 

_What is it worth? Why do you even think you'll ever be as strong as Juza or as popular as Tenma_?

'That...?', At first, you thought it was just another wandering thought, but you never started doubting yourself like this. 'What...?'

_You heard me. I can show you what it all equals to._

You look around if someone is pranking you somehow, but you don't see anything out of the ordinary. Somehow, your brain feels like mush, unable to think straight. 'I...' 

_Come_.

Before you even know it, you start to run. You don't even know as to where. As you pass a shop window, you take a quick glance at yourself. A strange mark is in your neck, but you don't take note of it at all. 

You don't stop running until you enter a old building. You vaguely recognize it, that it used to be a hospital of sorts. As you walk on, you find a huge, glowing seal in mid-air.

 _I'll make it all better_.

'...'

Your consciousness is begging you to think rationally, but all logical thought seems to slip away from you like sand in the palm of your hand. You stretch out your arm towards the seal, which disappears. Then, you step into it, and disappear.

_Come on._

Once inside, you grab your backpack and search through your school supplies. Not long after, you find the letter opener Tenma gave you. Trembling, you tighten your grip on it and slowly bring it to the wrist of your left hand, until...

'Don't!'

Someone kicks the letter opener from your hand, dropping it on the ground. You suddenly snap back to reality. The place you are in certainly doesn't look like the neighborhood you know.

'What...? What was I doing? What the hell am I doing here? What is this?' While you look around, you see who just prevented you from doing that.


	2. Time To Lay Our Differences Aside Again

'Juza?'

Your savior is no one else than Juza, the very same delinquent you wanted to talk to today. He isn't wearing his school uniform anymore, but a somewhat unusual costume instead. It vaguely reminds you of an Oni. A red spider lily is in his hair. 

'What are you doing in that strange getup?', you wonder. 'You practicing for a skit or something?'

'I can't explain right now.', Juza says. 'Just be thankful I saved you already.'

'Y-yes, that's right!' Although you are grateful that he did that, you don't exactly know what is going on. 

'Hey, Hyodo, don't leave me hanging!' 

Suddenly, someone else jumps in - the very same 'Settsu' who confronted Juza earlier. He has also traded his Hanasaki uniform for something else, and also wears a flower in his hair. However, instead of a red spider lily, it is a little cosmos flower.

'Who's this chap? Our onlooker?' He vaguely remembers you. 

'Uhhh...' You don't know how to answer that. 

'Never mind.', Settsu shrugs. 'Let's go.'

'What...?' 

'Hang on.', Juza grabs Settsu's arm, keeping him from moving on. 'I feel something. This one's strong. Remember how much trouble we had keeping off those familiars from before?' You have no idea what they're talking about, but you can't keep yourself from listening. 

'Because _you_ were getting them wrong the entire time!' Settsu argues. 

'Then I wonder what your way is, huh.' Juza crosses his arms. You can see that something is brewing between them again. 

'Don't do that!', you shout. 'We all want to get out. But this is getting you nowhere!' To put some more power in your words, you point the letter opener in their direction. Instead of being angry, Juza smiles faintly. 

'Come here.' He touches the letter opener with his fingertips, and it glows for a second or so. When the glow dies down, you see that it looks sharper and more elegant than before. 'Huh...?'

'You're coming with me, aren't you?' he asks you. You don't think twice about that. 

'Hyodo, you're seriously letting a normal person tag along? Who was a _Witch Kiss victim_ to begin with?' Settsu complains, but Juza acts as if he doesn't hear him.

'Let's go. We're close to the center room anyways.' 

Reluctantly, Settsu follows the both of you, towards somewhere you don't know.

* * *

Not long after, you three arrive in an even larger room. Unlike with the previous one, you don't see a door of sorts. But that is not the first thing you notice. 

'W-what the hell...', You point forward. 'I-is that thing...?'

But Juza and Settsu ignore it. 'Time to lay our differences aside again.', Juza mumbles, barely hearable. 'Let's get to work.' Suddenly, a spiked club is in Juza's hands, and Settsu has a pair of guns. 

'Where do these guys even get the weapons...' you wonder, but you don't have time to think about that - it noticed you in matter of seconds and tries trapping you. You fight it off with the enhanced letter opener you got, but you're barely standing. 'Ah!'

'I see, Hyodo did a shitty job again.', Settsu comments as he sees that. He touches your letter opener too, and suddenly, you have a second one in your hand. 'Here you go.'

'Thanks.' you say, but you see that Settsu disappeared again. Now with two of them, you try your best not to get caught.

'He's...' 

Settsu has wrapped a long chain of large metal shackles around it, and is struggling to keep it together. 'Got it!', he shouts. 'You go, Hyodo! Now! It won't hold that long!'

'Don't tell me what to do!' Juza uses his parkour skills to jump at it from a high position, and before you know, everything disappears.

'What the hell was that?' 

You are the first to speak when you see that you're back in the abandoned building. Settsu and Juza both look you in the eyes. 

'If you tell anyone what happened there...' Settsu says as he grabs something off the ground. 'We will personally end you. You saw what we're capable of back there, so...'

'I-I won't! I promise on the grave of my shyness!' 

You can see a look of 'What kind of promise is that?' in their eyes, but don't comment on it. With that, you run away.

* * *

As they see Taichi leave, Juza and Settsu exchange their costume for their uniform again. 'What the hell where you getting at, Hyodo?', Settsu shouts. 'What were you thinking?'

Juza doesn't answer. 'Let's go back to base. I won't tell anything about that to them, don't worry.'

'Whatever.' Settsu decides that his dispute with Juza can wait and walks back to their base together with him.

* * *

'You're back!'

Some time later, they enter a small building. It has been left in disrepair by everyone - that is, everyone except them. It is quite a mess, with empty bottles everywhere. The interior isn't very harmonious, but they don't mind. Inside, three people are already there. One of them is sitting on the sofa, a college student with short brown hair. The second one is behind a laptop, looking at an intricate-looking screen. He has very light blonde hair and is the oldest of them. The last one is the youngest, with long black hair. He is lying next to the college student on the sofa, playing a game on his phone.

'Were they easy today?'

'Could be worse.', Juza shrugs. 'Nothing much.'

'No, nothing really happened.' Settsu agrees after him. But inside his heart, something is still nagging him. As if that onlooker wasn't just any onlooker...


	3. You Are Nowhere Near Ready Yet

'Ah...'

The next morning, you wake up with pain in your shoulders. 'I really strained myself back there...' That reminds you of the promise you made with Settsu and Juza yesterday. You already had to lie to your parents why you were late that afternoon, and said that there was a promo on the way home. Of course, you had to take a look. Or at least, that is what you told them.

As you get ready for school after having breakfast, you think it over. _Is there something about this world I shouldn't know_?, you think, without getting into conspiracy theories. _What I saw was certainly real. And Juza...he talked with Settsu about those strange things...what was it, really_? 

That thought won't leave your mind alone, and it is still bothering as you enter the schoolyard. 

'Taichi.'

Juza's voice suddenly wakes you from you being lost in thought. You suddenly realize that Juza is calling your name, instead of it being in reverse. 'Yeah?' You turn around to face him, standing against the wall like always. 

'Riddle me this.', He holds up his index finger. ' _If you had the chance to give up everything you have for one single thing_... _what would it be_?'

You can see that Juza isn't joking from his serious expression. His already strict eyes are piercing your soul. You don't dare ask why he is asking you this, to prevent him saying that you're avoiding the matter. You clear your throat and say: 

'Years ago, there was this girl who lived in my neighborhood. She was really beautiful, but she always kept calling me a shrimp, or a puppy...but I never forgot her. If I could give up everything for that...'

Juza shakes his head. '...Taichi...', His voice has lowered to a whisper. 'You are nowhere near ready yet.'

'W-what do you mean? Not ready to meet her again?' 

'Nevermind. Forgot I asked anything.' Juza shrugs and then walks away to his class.

'What the heck...' you whisper. You're quite puzzled how Juza ever came with that question to begin with, and what's with the strange tangent. But you decide to forget it and put your mind on school instead.

* * *

After school, you want to get some answers out of him. You know that won't be easy, but you keep hanging around the schoolyard and the parking lot anyway. But...

'Where could he be...?', You're at the parking lot - where you saw him yesterday - but you're not having any luck as of yet. 'Maybe he's purposefully avoiding me...'

Then, a thought strikes you. _Maybe he is in a similar place where I was yesterday_. You immediately exit the schoolyard and set out to look for him. 

'Where was it, where was it, where was it...' Lost in thought, you don't notice the man in front of you until you stumble and fall. 'Aah!' You look up at the person you just disturbed. It is a tall man with short brown hair, and amber-colored eyes. 'I'm so sorry!', you apologize. 'I was looking for someone! I'll get going now!'

'Wait.', the man speaks in a low voice. 'Who are you looking for? Maybe I can help you.'

'Oh!', You say as you get up. 'I'm Taichi Nanao, and I'm looking for Juza Hyodo!'

'Then, I think I know him.', The man moves his hand to his chin. 'Oh, by the way, my name is Fushimi Omi. Don't worry, although I may look old, I'm only a college student.'

'What?', You can't believe that. 'There's no way!'

The man smiles as you follow him. 'Ahaha, it's far from the first time I heard that.', he says. 'Anyway, you can trust me. I'm not out to hurt you or something. There's a certain place I see him often. He may be hanging around there.'

'I've already looked at the schoolyard...', you say, which awakes a puzzled look on Omi's face. You clarify: 'He's at the same school as me.'

'Ooh.', Omi slowly nods. 'Then I know why you're looking for him. No, but that's not the place I'm thinking of.'

'What is?' 

'In retrospect, I think it's better if I call the people who are there currently.', Omi decides after pausing. You wonder what brought him to that decision. 'It's a hangout place.' 

After a short call, Omi speaks up again. '...No. They haven't seen him there either.' 

'Where should we go, then?' you ask. 

'...Wait.', Omi freezes in his tracks, suddenly having realized something. 'I think I know where he is. Follow me.' 


	4. Don't Lose Sight Of Me

'How do you-' 

Omi interrupts your sentence, shutting you up. 'I have a bad feeling about this. I don't know, I think it's better for you to stay behind.'

You can't hold it in longer than that, and you tell Omi the reason why you wanted to meet him again. 'In that case...', Omi still walks on, but slower now. 'I have to tell you something. Do you see that little white creature sitting on that wall over there?' He points at a wall in the neighborhood. And indeed, you see it - but you can't exactly make out what it is. A cat, a bunny, or maybe a weasel? 

'Yeah, what is it?' 

'That creature, we call an incubator. Not everyone can see it, but we're both one of the few.', Omi explains. 'If you can see it, it is probably for good reason. That means that you can become like how you saw Juza and Banri.'

'Banri?'

'Banri Settsu.', As he says that, you understand that Juza was calling him by his last name the entire time. 'They, and I too, have made a contract with it. Sounds harder than is. It's actually quite easy. Just tell it your deepest desire - one thing you really want. Nothing is impossible. You could ask for a cure for the worst diseases, immortality, or a never-ending banquet!'

'I feel like that last thing is a bit much...' you mumble sarcastically. Omi has heard you and smiles. 'Hah, but it is possible. There is a different side to it, though. In exchange for that one thing, you will become a Puer Magi and you will have to do what you saw Juza and Banri do.'

'Fighting that monster?' You slowly start piecing parts of the situation together, and you now get why Juza asked that strange question.

'Yes.', Omi says. 'Juza is likely doing that now. It's needed because those monsters called witches lead people into their death. We can't let that happen, of course. Witches are also cowards, hiding in their own personal space for most of the time. We have to seek them out before they cause larger problems.' 

'True.', You nod. 'And you...?' 

'We're getting close.', Omi ignores your question and transforms. He also has a flower in his hair - a red carnation. 'Keep close.'

'Will do.'

He halts and a large glowing seal appears. The general appearance of it is a bit familiar to you, but you follow him anyway, clutching the two letter openers from yesterday in your hand.

'Oh no.' Omi immediately feels that something is off. 

'What's happening?' you ask. 

'Juza and Banri are both in here, but their trail is weakening. I'll have to help them as quickly as possible! Don't lose sight of me!'

'I won't!'

You run after Omi, and note that for a college student, he can run quite fast. In no time, you have reached the center room.

'Here we are.' Omi looks up and immediately goes to fight the witch with a semi-automatic gun. You see that the witch is different from the one yesterday as you try to help him. 

'Juza! Banri!', You see that Juza is lying on the ground in uniform next to Banri, unconscious. 'Wake up!' Carefully, you touch their necks, and your heart almost stops. '...no pulse...!' You turn around to see Omi barely standing against the witch. _Oh no_. 

As if you called it, you suddenly see the incubator from before at the other side of the room. 'Incubator!' you scream. 

Omi tries to warn you: 'Don't!' 

You ignore him, and think of how you can word it as best as you could. You certainly don't want it to interpret it differently than you actually want. 'If you can give me anything...then please...! I don't want Omi, Juza, Banri and me to die! Let us live! Please!'

'Very well.'


	5. Yeah, Don't Question It

Those are the only words it speaks before you feel an excruciating pain in your chest. A blinding light rises from it. After a good fifteen seconds, it dies down along with the pain. In your hands is a small jewel with an even smaller flower inside it. 'This...!' Your grip on it tightens as you see that Juza and Banri are opening their eyes again. 

'What...? What's Omi doing here?' Banri is the first to speak. But he lays those questions aside and runs to Omi's side to help him. 

'I've got to...' You transform in a flash of light. Your costume is exactly how you portrayed your cool self to look like. In your hair is a small pansy.

'Taichi...?', Juza looks at you in confusion, before realizing what you did. 'You...'

'I'm sorry, Juza. You said I wasn't ready yet.', You admit as you firmly clench your weapons in your hands - with the transformation, the letter openers now have the shape of daggers instead. 'I should've believed you. But that's for later.'

'Doesn't matter now.', Juza says, knowing that it is irreversable. 'Let's defeat it together!'

'Yeah!' 

* * *

Not long after, the space changes back into reality. Omi picks up a strange-looking little thing off the ground. 'I wasn't even done with my explanation yet.', he says. 'This is a Grief Seed. This is worth diamonds in this world here.'

'Yes, so give it to me already.' Banri doesn't even let him finish his full explanation and snatches it from his hands. 

'That's not what he meant and you know it.', Juza pushes him a little, making him drop it. He picks it up. 'Taichi, everytime we fight we lose our magic a little bit. This can restore our magic. Inside this, our Soul Gem, that jewel you got after contracting, is a flower we have to keep blooming. That flower is the source of our magic and when we're transformed, our Soul Gem changes into that flower in our hair. Everyone's flower is different depending on the wish and its context. And if it wilts...'

'Then, what?'

'Just, don't let that happen.', Omi interrupts Juza. 'Anyway, we should give this one to Taichi, if only to show how it works. Look, it'll do just like this...' He keeps it next to your Soul Gem, and you see that the dullness has disappeared. 

'Wow! That's amazing!' you exclaim. 

'Once is okay.', Banri aches to use it, nervously pacing back and forth. 'But you can share with one other. Like me.' 

'It's okay, Taichi.', Omi doesn't want an argument to be born over just one Grief Seed. 'I have reserves I'll share with Juza.'

'I actually wanted to keep you out of all this, Taichi.', Juza confesses. 'But now there's no way back. It's time for you to meet some others.'

'Is it at the place you mentioned before, Omi?' You connect some dots.

'Yes, it is. We all know eachother.' 

* * *

After a quick walk, you arrive at an abandoned warehouse. Although it looks old and it is quite messy, two other people are still there.

'Hey, Sakyo! How're you doing today?' Banri greets the tall man with short, light blonde hair. The man ignores the excited greeting and immediately notices you.

'And who might you be?' 

On that cue, the teenager on the sofa turns around to face you. He has black hair and intense, light green eyes. 'Yea, who are you? Don't think I've seen you here before.'

'T-that's right...', you say. 'I'm Taichi Nanao...'

'Let me guess.', The green-eyed teenager clears his throat. 'You're a new Puer Magi. Otherwise they wouldn't bring you here.'

You open your mouth to say something, but Juza is already on it. 'Yes, he is.', he says. 'And Taichi, this is Sakyo Furuichi and Azami Izumida. Together, we're the Autumn Faction and we govern the Western Districts.' 

You slowly nod in understanding. 'Nice to meet you all.', you take small bow. 'I'm sure we'll be friends in no time!'

Sakyo, which is apparently the name of the blonde-haired man, however, does not smile back at you. 'We'll see.'

'Oh, come on, don't be like that.', Azami sighs. 'I'm a newly contracted too, you know. Hey, Taichi, we can hunt tomorrow after school. You're an Ouka High student, right?'

'How did you know?', you ask. 'Or...'

'Yeah, don't question it.', Azami shrugs and goes back to the game on his phone. 'It's just...something, I guess.'

For the rest of the day, nothing significant goes down. As you get home, you see a paper on the dinner table. 

_We're so sorry, Taichi, but we had to go to an emergency business meeting. We won't be back soon. In the fridge is food for the coming few days._

'Oh...', You look up and open the fridge. 'Yeah. Well, at least I don't have to think of an excuse...' you think.

Little did you know, that finding an excuse would be the least of your worries.


	6. Don't Pull A Prank Like That Ever Again

A few days in the future, but not many.

'Hey, Omi! You ready for another round today?'

He is already waiting for you at the exit. 'Yeah. Let's go.' Without further ado, you leave off in order to hunt together. It's been like that for quite some time already. Sometimes, Banri and or Juza would join you, if it fitted their schedule. Omi had been teaching you all sorts of things through experience. Such as telepathy, and the fact that when you didn't need your powers, your Soul Gem could be stored inside a silver ring. Since then, you have been a little bit more aware of who in your school has such a ring. 

You were surprised to find out Tenma had one too, but he immediately clasped shut like a clam shell once you told him about Banri and Juza. You have no idea as to why, but you have the idea that it isn't a good idea to start talking about it again.

'Omi...?' you ask while you're both still looking.

'Yes?'

'Hey, this may be a rude question to ask, or maybe it's even taboo, but...' 

'What is it?'

You scratch the back of your head, and then clear your throat. 'What are you doing it for? I meant to ask it all the way back then, but there were more pressing matters, and, well...'

Omi cracks a smile. 'No problem.', he says. 'You can just ask it. A long time ago, I...eh, used to be friends with a rogue Puer Magi. Like, not only friends, but, you know, best buddies. But then...'

'You had a fallout?'

'No, not even that, it was...', Omi swallows, searching for the right words. 'He was at the end of his lifetime. After that...I was never quite the same. So I decided to honor him by becoming a Puer Magi just like him. By doing so, all my powers are actually his.'

'Oh...I'm so sorry to hear that!' You start thinking that it may have been better that you never asked it to begin with.

'That's not needed, don't worry.', Omi shrugs, and you see that he's long over it already. 'It's very long ago. There are times that I still think of him, but...yeah, life's gotta be rude to you and I've moved on since.'

You and Omi have stopped walking as a barrier appears in front of you. You look at him, and he nods once. 

About forty-five minutes later, you return to reality. 'You go first.' you say, handing the Grief Seed to Omi. 

'Thank you.' He then gives it to you. You use it and then throw it away. 

'Are we going back to base?'

'Not today.', Omi decides, and you are curious as to what he will say instead. 'I wanted to meet up with Banri and Sakyo. They're around here, discussing the next course of action.'

'Oh, so that's where Banri is. Do you know where?'

'Close to here, that's for sure.', Omi points behind him. 'Their trails are near.'

* * *

You follow Omi, and in no time, you find Banri and Sakyo sitting in an almost empty bar. 

'Oh, we're getting company. Time to wrap this up. What do you say?' 

'Same. Good afternoon, Fushimi and Nanao.' Sakyo speaks up. As he turns around, Banri stands up, unaware that he left his ring on the countertop. 

'Thank you for coming. We'll talk more when we're back at base.'

'I just hope you could figure out the recent stuff a bit more.' 

'It's just-' Suddenly, Banri cuts off his sentence. He looks back, and sees that his ring isn't there anymore. 

'There!' You see a quick flash towards the exit, and Omi and Sakyo are on it immediately. They run out of the bar, in order to catch this thief. 

'Banri?', you ask as you look at him. His eyes sport a dead glare. 'Can you hear me?' As he remains unresponsive, you wonder if losing it is such a big shock to him. _Maybe something's going on in his past just like with Omi_...

'Are you okay-hey!'

Suddenly, he drops on the ground like a doll. You barely manage to catch him, using a bit of your enhanced strength to hold him. As you do so, you feel that his body radiates cold instead of warmth. _Oh no_.

'Banri! Please, stay with me...!' 

You carefully touch his neck, which is equally cold to the touch and you don't feel a pulse at all. 'Don't you die on me! Didn't I wish for you to live?' Tears start to prick in your eyes.

'Banri!' You look up and see that Omi and Sakyo have returned. 'We got it...!', Omi sounds like he has been running very fast. 'Don't worry!' 

As soon as they enter the bar, Banri opens his eyes. You breathe out slowly in relief. 'You're...'

He grabs the ring out of Sakyo's hands and stands up. 'What the hell happened?' 

'Someone stole your Soul Gem when you weren't looking.', Sakyo is apparently not planning on hiding the truth at all. 'You need to be more careful with your stuff.'

'You scared me there!', you say to him. 'Don't pull a prank like that ever again!'

'What prank?'

'You dropped dead on me!', Following Sakyo's example, you tell the truth. 'But when they brought it back to you, you came back to life again, like some zombie on Halloween!'

'Oh, yeah...', You can hear Sakyo sigh deeply. Omi looks at the ground with a solemn expression in his eyes. 'You don't know that yet. I forgot.'

'Know what?'

'That...', Sakyo closes his eyes. 'That those Soul Gems...if they're more than 100 metres from our bodies...we'll be like that.'

'WHAT?' You scream so loud that you worry that the neighbors might have heard that. 

'You serious?' Banri looks at Sakyo with bright eyes. 

'I am dead serious.', Sakyo hasn't changed his expression even once. 'That is, because our Soul Gems contain our souls. Otherwise, we would not have been able to fight at all and heal back like we do.'

'Still, that's...that's...that's so fucked up!' Banri shouts. 

'I know, Banri.', Omi shakes his head. 'I've known it all along.'

'Omi, you...did? Does Juza know?' You have no idea as to what to think anymore. 

Omi just nods. 'Yes...he does.'

You think back at the one riddle he made to you all those days ago. _If you had the chance to give up everything you have for one single thing...what would it be?_ You now get what 'everything' meant.

'But please, _please_ promise one thing.', Sakyo holds up his index finger. ' _Do not tell Azami about this. For everything good and holy, don't let him know_.'

'I won't tell him, I promise on the grave of my shyness.'

'You really need to work on your promises, Taichi.' Banri averts his eyes. 

'What do you mean? That is a completely reasonable thing to swear on.' You shrug.

'Nevermind. Let's get back to base.' 


	7. That's Unusual Indeed

As you wake up, your eyes are still wet from crying. Overnight, it is as if the realization hits you just then. That you wished for you and them to live, but that in exchange, your body had to die. And the amount of dangers it entails. You always thought that you were cool enough, so that you were destined to do great things, to become popular. But you never dared to imagine what that truly was. Maybe such a thing never existed after all. 

After school, Omi is waiting for you as always. However, your enthousiasm has a little died down since the incident from yesterday. 

'We shouldn't have told you the truth, should we have?' Omi stares into the distance while asking you that. 

'Ah...we would have discovered that sooner or later anyway.', you say while trying to be real. 'It's partly my fault, too.' 

'In what way?'

'Nevermind...' You don't bother to explain as you leave today too.

* * *

The rest of the search happens in silence. It is not until you have entered another barrier that any of you talk again.

'Banri's not joining us again?'

'I guess not...'

'Does he have a meeting like yesterday?'

'Not any that I know of.', Omi shrugs while preparing another round of bullets on the witch. 'He's likely hunting with someone else.'

For the rest of the entire battle, Banri does not show up. You share the Grief Seed and Omi throws it away. 'I'm wondering how he and Juza are holding up now.' You idly voice your thoughts. 

'We'll ask for them when we're back at base.'

'Yeah...'

* * *

'Finally. I was waiting for someone.' Azami isn't sitting on the couch but is already standing. It seems like he was expecting you. 

'Oh? Did something happen?' you ask, hoping that Banri didn't tell Azami. The revelation of yesterday may have hit him hard, and you don't hope that Banri has broken the promise already.

'Well, in fact...', Azami sighs and sits down on one of the chairs. 'I have just returned from a hunt I did together with Banri. But he was a little, how shall I say it, a bit off his rocker? Sprouting strange, borderline philosophical nonsense.'

'That's unusual indeed.', you nod, while trying your best not to say what happened. You know that it likely stems from the incident. 'Go on.'

'Second thing was, I barely had a part in the fight.', Azami holds up two fingers now. 'He insisted on going first. I was okay with that, as I thought it was as to act as a scout. After all, it isn't the first time he has done that, and I'm young, so people have the instinct to protect me despite anything I say. So far, so good.'

'And then?'

'Then...he kind of went apeshit?', Azami shrugs and gestures. 'He killed all familiars and one-shotted the witch. It was quite the gorefest.'

'Oof. I'm so sorry for whatever you had to endure, Azami.' You see that Omi is resisting the urge to pat him on the shoulder.

'And he did it all while saying things like 'We have the same destiny anyway' and 'I'll be better than he ever was'. I have no dang idea as to what happened but I also have a feeling that I'm better off not knowing.'

 _You are_ , you want to say, but don't. 'Take a rest.', you advise him. 'Does Sakyo know?'

'Yeah, he does. He wants to speak to Banri.'

'Speaking of the Puer Magi himself, where's Banri now?'

'No idea. He ran off after the hunt. I thought he went back to base, but...no.', Azami's hands go back to his phone. 'So...'

'Yeah. Well, this is new, even for a veteran like me.', Omi scratches the back of his head. 'I have no idea what to do now.'

'Let alone that I have.' you say, as you hear Omi speaking to you via telepathy.

 _I too think that yesterday's incident is the cause of this_.

You nod in agreement, knowing that Omi is using telepathy because you promised that Azami is kept in the dark.

Suddenly, Azami's eyes go bright. He whispers: 'Hey...' 

'Something dawned on you, Azami?' you ask.

'Hmmm...', he mumbles. 'Just a question, I don't even know if you can answer me but...hey, do any of you have an idea as to what happens when our flowers wilt?'


	8. You May Not Like What You Find

'So, there you are. Don't disappear like that on us. You'll worry me and Fushimi.' Sakyo is the first to talk to Banri. They are alone on the square that is very close to base. 

Banri sighs. 'I know, I know...dangit, Sakyo, you're not my mom.' He looks at the sky. 

'Well, I don't even want to be your mom to begin with, but I am the oldest of everyone in the Autumn Faction.', The blonde Puer Magi grabs a Grief Seed from his pocket. 'Here.'

'If that's for me, you shouldn't have bothered.' Banri tilts his head in annoyance. 

'This is one of the only times I'm _giving_ something to you.', Sakyo ignores the rampant sarcasm from Banri. 'Take it. You're my responsibility too, you know. Stop it, before it gets worse than this.' His voice grows desperate, but Banri remains apathetic to it. 

'I don't need it.', he says. 'Go away.'

'You know I'm offering you a chance. I know what this road is leading to, Settsu. I've seen it with my own eyes.'

'Go. Away.' Banri clenches his teeth. As he says that, Sakyo feels an enormous wave of dark energy emanating from him. 

'You're too far gone, Settsu.', he whispers. 'Don't say I didn't warn you.'

* * *

'Oh, hey, Juza. Omi isn't here?' 

You are surprised when after school, Juza is waiting for you instead of Omi. 'Yeah, he rose early to go solo, I think? Dunno. But hey, I wanted to go seek that ol' Settsu out. I've been out hunting for the previous few days but haven't been able to track him down. Heard what happened from Sakyo. Didn't think that he would take the truth about our Soul Gems that badly.'

'Ah...', You realize that Banri's troubles may be getting the better of him if he's staying away for this long. 'I'll help you. Two Puer Magi can do more than one, after all.'

'No comment.' Juza shrugs.

* * *

But after fifteen minutes, not even the slightest trace of Banri's magic enters the perception of you or Juza. 'I'm starting to think he went out of town.', you open a theory. 'To get away from us. Maybe he hates us for telling the truth.'

'If he did so, where would he go?', Juza follows your theory. 'I don't know if he knows anyone in other towns.'

'Exactly.' you say as you see that Omi is heading your way. 

'Where are you going? Hunting again?' he asks you both.

You speak up. 'Have you seen Banri?'

'No...I'm sorry. You're looking for him, I guess?' 

'Yeah.', Juza takes it from you. 'But if you didn't see him, we have one more reason to worry.'

'I have a bad feeling. Watch out, Taichi.', Omi warns you all of a sudden. 'You may not like what you find. I've been in this situation before.'

'What do you mean?'

'Come on, Taichi, let's go.' Juza gives you a pat on the back. 

'No, don't go.', Omi holds up his hand. 'You don't want this. Stay here.'

'I have to know where Banri is!', Your voice nears a shout. 'He is your teammate too, Omi! And he's like a big brother to me! He-' You realize that you have accidentally told him one of your secrets, and you run away, Juza following you. 

'Taichi!' you hear in the distance, but you ignore it. You have to find Banri, no matter the cost.

* * *

Not long after, you pick up his trail near an old, previously occupied building. 'He's in there.', you say in a deadpan tone. 'No doubt about it.' You let Juza go first, and then enter it after him.

A quick walk upstairs later, you find him amidst the mess that is still left. He is sitting in a corner of what used to be a room.

'Banri!' you cry out. 

'We finally found you...man, you left us worried!' Juza lays aside his rivalry with Banri for a second. 

'Hyodo. Get out.' Banri does not even look at Juza when he says that. 

The amber-eyed Puer Magi ignores it. 'No, I won't. Not when you're like this.'

Banri does not send him back another time, and sighs instead. 'You're not going to ask him to get out a second time?' you ask. Usually, Banri would not allow himself to be in the same room as Juza unless they're in a barrier or at the base. 

He shrugs and mumbles: 'I don't care anymore.' 

'You're giving in to losing?' Juza and you are grasping at straws by now to get the old vigor and energy from Banri back.

Finally, he looks up at you, his eyes filled with tears. 'Hah...', As he does so, you flinch. The cosmos flower in the Soul Gem he is holding has already wilted.

'Haha...this always happens...nothing I can do about it, I guess. Hyodo, you bastard, I guess I'll put our match on hold for now...'

Then, his Soul Gem shatters.

* * *

At another part of town, Sakyo sees what happens. He sighs deeply. 'This was stated to happen...' he whispers, but hides a tear.


	9. Don't Hesitate To Give In

All the time, you have held on to Juza, and he held on to you. You don't know whether it is pure instinct or some sort of hidden intention to do so, but you do know that you needed it. 

'Did it stop?' you hesitantly ask, your eyes still closed.

'I-I guess so...' Juza opens his eyes, and loosens his grip on you. As you feel that, you open your eyes too. 

'Aah!', Immediately, you wish you didn't do that as you see the huge, caged witch in front of you. 'Where the hell did that thing come from? And where's Banri?'

You see that Juza is already transformed and takes a huge jump. You don't know why he is doing that until you see that he sees Banri's lifeless body. 'Got you.' He takes it back to where you are and hands it to you.

'What do we do?' you ask while you are still quivering at the sight in front of you.

'That thing, that is what is left of what was once Banri.', Juza calls him by his given name for the first time and points behind him. 'We have no choice but to fight it.'

'But...' It feels very bad for you to hurt something that used to be your friend. You sigh deeply and transform.

'Don't.'

Suddenly, a voice rings out. It is Sakyo, who has just teleported to where you are. He grabs Juza's wrist holding his kanabo, preventing him from attacking.

'What are you doing?' Juza can't break free out of Sakyo's grasp.

'You have his body, right?', Sakyo tilts his head to see it in your arms. 'If you fight it now, we have no chance to give our Leader a proper burial. Leave the witch be.'

'Leader...?' It is the first time you hear someone referring to Banri as a Leader, of all things. 

Juza looks into Sakyo's eyes for a few seconds, and then concedes. '...Okay. If you know the way out, that is.'

'Please show us!', you say. 'I can't stand the stench of blood that hangs around in here!'

Sakyo sighs, and then utters two words before leaving off. 'Follow me.'

You do so, having a little hardship to keep up with Sakyo's quick pace. But a few minutes later, you return to reality again. 

'Banri...' You gently touch his cold hand. No one dares to say anything at the moment, until the awkward silence is broken by Sakyo.

'I bet you have a lot of questions now, Taichi.', he says and closes his eyes. 'Which I understand.'

'Yes! Juza, what did you mean with that comment about Banri?', you ask. 'I still don't know where that came from!'

'Exactly.', Sakyo shakes his head once. 'This, this is the second secret about Puer Magi. When our flowers wilt and our Soul Gem darkens to the point of no return, we will become witches ourselves. You saw it happening.'

 _You may not like what you find_.

That small warning from Omi crashes back into your head. 'Omi...he knew...'

'He did.', Juza looks at you. 'And I did, too.'

'You...did? Then why did you go along?' You get the feeling that Juza really likes speaking in riddles.

'That...that I cannot say for now.', He holds up his hands. 'Who will become Leader now, Sakyo?'

'Leader? Was Banri the Leader of the Autumn Faction?'

'He was.', Sakyo says as you head back to base. 'Because his personal magic was controlling metal, one of the five elements. As such, he got the codename of White Tiger.'

'White Tiger...' you mumble while you look at the lifeless Banri.

You walk back to base in silence. When you get there, Omi and Azami look up. 

'Banri? What happened to him?' Azami immediately notices his dead body in your arms. You cannot answer him, as you start to tear up. 

'Azami, get to your room. Now.' Sakyo orders him.

'But-'

'No buts. Go.'

'Okay...' Azami reluctantly stands up and walks to a backroom, out of sight.

'Leave him in my care.', Sakyo then says to you. 'I will make sure he gets a proper burial, and that his school won't get a hunch. Trust me.'

You look up at Sakyo - who is still taller than you - and see that he means it. Then, you hand it over to him.

* * *

That night, you cannot sleep again. But instead of crying, it seems as if a cold has wrapped itself around your heart. You don't want to believe it, don't want to believe that Banri is gone. 

'Banri...'

A shadow appears on your windowsill. 'Taichi.'

You gasp and see that the incubator is sitting there. 'What do you want?'

'I already got what I wanted.', it says. 'But do you know that you are just a small part of the larger plan?'

'Plan?'

'Did you know that the universe is dying slowly?', The incubator continues. 'The heat death of the universe, caused by entropy. I'm sure you must've heard it in school.'

'Yes...I did. But it was a boring subject, so...' you admit.

'The heat death of the universe is a general known fact. There is nothing ordinary humans can do against it...but we found a solution.'

'We, being...?'

'The incubators. I am one out of a larger race not from your world. The solution is...well, you.'

'I am?'

'Hm, not entirely. I should've worded that better. Young boys around your age, your emotions and bodies are still developing. Your magic is powered by your own soul, as you have found out recently. When contracts are fulfilled and when you fully mature, huge amounts of energy are released into the world.'

'Energy...?'

'This energy is enough to sustain the universe for the time being. But you know, we cannot run on only you, although you...if you were to mature...'

'Shut up.' You know what that means, and you don't want to end up like that.

'Alright. Moving on. Thing is, you have met only about one fourth of all Puer Magi that have made a contract with me in this city. I'm not saying that you need to. It won't change anything at all.'

'That...', The incubator's words are slowly getting to you. 'So you're preventing the death of the universe by making me essentially a child soldier?'

'I wouldn't say it's that.', The incubator maintains its sole expression thoughout the entire explanation. 'Be thankful. You help preventing this universe from dying. And hey, if you're in despair...'

'Shut. Up!' You stand up and throw a dagger at it. It disappears from your windowsill, but a few moments later, it reappears. 'Huh...'

'...Don't hesitate to give in.' Then, it hops away.

* * *

That afternoon, Juza is waiting for you. But this time, none of you says anything until you have left the schoolyard. 

'I'm going to seek out what Banri once was.' he says solemnly.

'And you're asking me to go along?'

'You are my backup. Although I think it won't be necessary, the barrier has shifted. It's not where it was previously.'

'But do you know where it is, then?'

'Kind of.', Juza answers. 'It is still Banri's magic.'

By tracing it, you find it in a backstreet and enter it. 

'It's indeed different from yesterday.', you say. 'You sure you can handle it?'

'I'm sure I can't.', Juza gives you an unusual, worrying answer. 'But that's not important.'

'What is?'

'It is still Banri. And it always will be.', he says as he closes his eyes. 'We're in his mindscape now. Everything you see here is a result of his mind.'

 _That kind of explains the smell of blood_ , you think.

'Hey, Juza...', you say. 'Do you think that he still recognizes us like this?'

'I have no idea.', Juza shrugs, but considers the idea. 'But I wouldn't rule it out entirely. It depends how much he managed to remember.' 

'I hope he still remembers us.' you confess. Juza looks at you with his usual strict gaze, but says nothing.

It is not until the center room that Juza speaks up again. 'You know, Taichi, I'm convinced that he does.', It seems as if the short amount of time is enough for him to make up his mind. 'And I think I always will.' 

After saying that, he uses his magic on you, placing you somewhere else. He is now standing in front of the witch.

'Juza...?' You know that a large part of Juza's magic consists of _seperation_ , meaning that he cannot get close to you and you cannot get close to him, as if there is an invisible wall between you. 

'Banri.', you hear him speak. 'Don't worry. You won't have to keep our match on hold. I'll be there.'

He takes the red spider lily from his hair, and firmly grabs it, imbuing it with magic. Juza closes his eyes, and then throws it towards the witch.

'JUZA!' you shout, although you know it has no effect. You hide your face in your hands as the sound of a large explosion rings in your ears. 


	10. Can Something Good Come Out Of Hanasaki

A few months in the past, ~~but not many~~.

A similar situation took place, though different. 

'Hyodo, you idiot...!' 

Juza looks down at the broken and beaten Banri at his feet, but does not answer. Instead, he walks away quietly. 

'Come back here! You coward!' 

Predictably, he does not heed Banri's call. '...defeated...?' It takes a moment for it to sink in. 'I am...defeated...? But...I never lose...!'

'Do you?'

With the few bits of strength he has left, he turns his head to see who is talking to him. It can't be Juza, since it is not his voice. Instead, a strange white creature is there. 

'What...?'

'You want revenge on him, don't you?', It ignores Banri's questions and talks on. 'That is something I could arrange.'

'How? You're...what are you...?'

'I am an incubator.', the white critter says. 'If you tell me what you really want, you can become a magical fighter. Retroactively, you're directly stronger than him.'

'That..!', A smile appears on Banri's damaged face. 'I want to be the one to destroy Hyodo Juza...please! If it's possible...!'

'Nothing is impossible with me.' the incubator says as a blinding light rises from Banri. He starts to doubt it as he feels an even larger pain, but it disappears a few seconds later. A gemstone is in his hands now, with a cosmos flower within. 'That is the sign the contract is completed.', it confirms. 'Go now.'

Banri still smiles. 'Thank you.'

* * *

However, Banri's contracting does not remain unnoticed. 

'Hey, Juza, I'm sure you have heard that a contracting took place on Hanasaki?' 

Tenma approaches Juza during break time.

'Hanasaki? Can something good come out of Hanasaki?' While saying that, Juza feels as if he just repeated what someone else said long ago. He can't pinpoint as to what, though.

'No idea.', Tenma shrugs. 'But my connections speak of a certain Banri Settsu. Isn't he the dude you defeated earlier?'

Juza's heart skips a beat. 'That...is true...' _So that loser of a Settsu is just like Muku now_. 

'Don't you believe me?'

'S-sure, I do believe you, but...', Juza doesn't dare to doubt Tenma's words. He knows that Tenma's connections run far and wide as being the Leader of the Summer Faction governing the Southern Districts, also known as the Vermilion Bird. 'That spells bad news.'

'Sure it does.', Tenma nods. 'You may not win again.'

'It's not that.', Juza says. 'You know my cousin Muku, right? From St. Flora?'

'The one with the twin swords in a cane?'

'Yes, that one.', Juza closes his eyes. 'I don't want him to get caught up in my fight. There is a good chance that Banri will get revenge at me by hurting Muku if he knows that Muku is my cousin. I have to prevent that.'

'What are you gonna do-wait, you're planning on contracting?'

But before Tenma can get an answer, Juza disappeared already. Tenma sighs deeply. 

* * *

After school, the incubator visits Juza. 'You must have heard of the recent contracting at Hanasaki.'

'Yes, I did, and I'm here to counteract it.' Juza says concisely. 

'How succinct.', the incubator says, but there is no surprise in its voice. 'What do you want?'

'I wish that Banri Settsu shall never know nor meet Muku Sakisaka, and in reverse.'

'That can be arranged.'

Those are the last words it speaks before the contract is fulfilled. Juza feels something in his hands - a gem with a red spider lily. He knows the symbolism: lost memory, abandoning, and...never to meet again. 

'...' Juza clutches it in his hands, smiling as the incubator hops away.

* * *

A few weeks later, but not many.

'Looks like I made the right call...' Juza thinks as he is at the parking lot after school. 'He's going for me now instead for him.' Once again, he looks at his watch. 'Hmm. He's a bit late for our match.' 

But then...

'Hey, Juza! Recognize me? I'm Taichi Nanao, and I just wanted to ask you a few things!'

A red-haired boy comes towards him. 

_Drat, he absolutely can't be here to witness our fight_. _Keeping Muku out of this was one thing_.

'...leave me alone. Please.' Juza growls in an attempt to make him leave.

'Aww! It won't even take five minutes! Promise!' the red-haired boy is not planning on leaving anytime soon, much to Juza's dismay.

'This is already taking longer than I want.', Juza looks away from Taichi, staring at the ground instead. 'Now, get out.'

Taichi takes a step back, and you don't look at him again. Finally, Banri arrives. 

'...Settsu. Let's settle this here and now.'

Banri points at Taichi, who still hasn't left apparently. 'We've got an onlooker.' The boy quickly runs away, and Juza says: 'Not anymore.'

'Hang on. Do you feel that too?' Banri does not look at him while he says that. 

'A big one, very close.'

* * *

After a fight [we have already witnessed](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21905374/chapters/52284106)...

'What's up with that boy? Judging from his uniform, he's from your school.'

Juza and Banri are on their way back to base. 

'Yes, he is.', Juza says. 'I have no idea why he is getting at me. But I hope it stays at this.' His hands go to his phone as he sees that it lights up. 'Tenma...' He picks up. 

'Hyodo. Care to explain?'

'Explain what?'

'I've been trying to tell Muku about the things that happened recently. But he's acting as if he doesn't know.'

'Oh.', Juza gestures to Banri that he can just walk on, and he does so. 'I can explain.'

'Please do.'

'Muku isn't acting as if he doesn't know like you say. He genuinely does not know.'

'What?'

'You heard me.'

'Judging from your tone, you're behind it.'

'Bingo. I'm behind it.'

'Tomorrow we sort this out.'

And that is the end of the call, Juza knows, and he hangs up. 'Tomorrow, huh...'


	11. You Can't Be Kept Unknowing Like That

You run all the way back to base after picking up the Grief Seed. The sudden suicide from Juza surprised you, but when it happened, you got a small peek at the bigger story. Before the witch form of Banri died, it printed them into your mind as a last deed. You now get that he did not send you away out of pity, but out of him wanting to keep out of the circle of revenge. Tears prick in your eyes. 

'Why are you alone? Where is Juza?' Sakyo asks. You can't answer him as the tears start to make their way to the ground.

'Come here.' Omi stands up and embraces you. He and Sakyo are the only two you see.

'H-here...', You hand him the Grief Seed. 'I-I know everything...'

'Don't tell me that Juza-' A rare surprise fills Sakyo, and he stops talking once Omi gives him a short nod.

'I-I have to tell Muku...', you utter, your speach impeded by tears. 'He deserves to know!'

You free yourself from Omi's arms and then run towards St. Flora High.

* * *

'And what about you?' Omi turns to talk to Sakyo.

'What do you mean?'

'You are not going to tell Azami?' Omi's eyes pierce into Sakyo's soul.

'That. No, I am not going to tell him.' He does not budge under the pressure Omi puts on him, crossing his arms like always. 

Omi clenches his teeth. 'If Muku deserves to know, why doesn't Azami?'

Sakyo slowly shakes his head and sighs deeply. 'Why are you suddenly so bound on making Azami know? What does Azami have to do with anything?'

'Well, he's a part of the Autumn Faction. He will know sooner or later either way.' 

'I want to keep Azami out of this drama. It is enough that Sakisaka knows, we do and Nanao also does now. Nanao's also too far gone.'

'I don't know if you noticed, but Azami is a contracted too.'

'Oh, and that inherently means he has to know?' Sakyo fights Omi's sarcasm with his own.

'Listen here.' With one swift move, Omi grabs the chrysanthemum in Sakyo's hair and holds on to it firmly. 

'Hey! ...That hurts!'

'You are doing the _exact_ same thing to Azami as Juza was doing to Muku and wanted to do to Taichi. And hey, you can see how well _that_ turned out!'

'...hhh...' Sakyo's face contorts in pain, and he cannot reply. 

'You don't want to end up like him, do you?'

Suddenly, the door of the backroom swings open. 

'...you...',

It is Azami. 'I heard everything, by the way.' he says, as if it is the most normal thing in the world.

'There you have it.', Omi looks at Azami and back at Sakyo. 'You may be the oldest, but you need to tell Azami everything. If even Taichi is mature enough to tell Muku, you can do it to Azami too. Come on, here he is.'

Omi finally gives Sakyo back his chrysanthemum. 'Ah.', Knowing he has lost, Sakyo places it back in his hair. 'That's right.'

* * *

A few minutes in the past, but not many...

'Hey, Muku!' You arrive at St. Flora, and as you expected, Muku has break time now. He is in the library reading a manga. 

'Ah! Who are you?' He drops the book from shock. 

'I'm Taichi Nanao from Ouka High, and I need to tell you something.', you say as you sit down next to him. Lucky for you, no one else is there. 'It has to do with Juza.'

'Juchan? Are you going to tell me why he isn't responding to my messages anymore?'

'That too.', you sigh. 'It...it's complicated, but I'm going to do my best trying to tell you.'

'Okay...'

You tell him everything. That Juza wished to keep him out of it all by keeping him oblivious about the existence of his rival. The truth about their contracts, and its nature. 

'Good heavens...Juchan...' 

You pat Muku on the back. 'You had to know.', you say. 'I know it's a lot to take in, but you can't be kept unknowing like that.'

'I was responsible for Tenma losing to Juza...'

'No, you weren't. It all started from a fight between Banri and him.', you correct him. 'You're not to blame.'

'Hey, Taichi...'

'What?'

'Thanks for telling me.', Muku says. 'I hope that everything between the Summer Faction and the Autumn Faction is gone now.'

'I think that will have to take time, though.', You decide to be honest. 'And I think your lessons are starting soon.' 

'Yeah, they are.', Muku takes a quick look at his watch and agrees. 'Thank you, Taichi.' He stands up. You do too and open the window. 

'See you later, I hope.'

'Same here!'

You hear Muku's farewell as you go back to base, and realize that that may not happen at all.


	12. I Really Was Fortunate

'The Autumn Faction's down to four, huh...' Azami says as you come back. 

'Omi! Sakyo!', you cry out before seeing that Azami is there too. 'I'm back!'

'Did you manage to tell Muku?' Sakyo asks. 

'Yes, I did...he now knows.', you say. 'Now they're gone...'

'Our Leader's dead.', Sakyo says flatly. 'We've already decided that I am going to lead this shitshow now.'

'Well, I can't say I've got anything against that.', you shrug. 'I'm convinced that you'll be a good Leader. Will you also take the title of the White Tiger, then?'

'I'll have to learn how to bend metal to take it.', Sakyo grabs Banri's Grief Seed. 'In some sort of reverse process. But you don't have to bother yourself with that.'

'Alright.' you say, as Sakyo and Azami go out.

'Taichi, I'm going to be honest, but...something about you has not been sitting right to me.', Omi admits. 'If there's something, tell me.'

You remain silent for a bit, but then decide to tell him. 'I still can't believe they're really gone...', As Omi doesn't say anything back, you go on. 'I really saw them as my big brothers...'

'You already told me that about Banri, accidentally.', Omi remembers. 'I don't think you were initially supposed to do that.'

'You're right. I wasn't.', you say as you shake your head. 'But in retrospect it may be good that I did. Thinking back...that wish, for them to live...that was quite inane of me. I didn't really know anything, about whatever.' You hold up your Soul Gem, and Omi flinches. You don't care - you already know. 

'I can't do anything more, I think.', you shrug. 'What's the point in going on now they're not here anymore?' 

'Taichi, you...'

You look at Omi. 'To have been here...to have met so many friends...I really was fortunate...!'

The last thing you hear is Omi shouting your name as everything goes black. And then, a sweet, sweet silence.

[Start over?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21905374/chapters/52284016)


End file.
